The blatant ways in which the government mindlessly spends our tax money when our health is in decline and the economy sputters along on the petro-dollar are often astounding. It should be alarming to know that diabetes drugs are now costing us $35 billion a year while a great deal of money is being spent on diabetes-fueling sugar.

The U.S. produces more sugar than any other country in the world – about 8 million tons annually. Sugarcane is the primary source, with (genetically modified) sugar beets coming in second. We also produce loads of genetically modified corn which is then turned into high-fructose corn syrup – about 2.2 million tons of the stuff every year. Corn is the most subsidized crop out there, only to be processed into harmful ingredients much of the time.

Artificial sweeteners, fake honey, honey, maple syrup, and the general delivery of sugar accounted for about 21 million tons through the 2000’s. More often, the sugars are in foods without you even knowing it – from frozen vegetables to snacks that are labeled ‘healthy’ or ‘natural’ with the FDA’s blessing.

A large government agency, funded by your tax dollars, called the US Department of Agriculture makes loans to individuals and companies that domestically produce sugarcane and sugarbeets. This has been going on since the early 2000’s. The farm bill also reinforced subsidies to corn growers – even those who have no choice but to grow Monsanto corn, a GMO crop.

Additionally, in 2012, beet and sugarcane growers borrowed $862 million dollars to support the price of sugar on the ‘free’ market.

The USDA is considering helping out the sugar farmers again by purchasing 400,000 tons of sugar, so they can pay back their loan. It sounds a little like the banking bailout, doesn’t it?

This all happens because about 33% of lobbyist money is tied into the sugar-drug trade. If you aren’t aware of how refined sugar affects the body – it is pretty much like cocaine. It causes you to crave more sugar, so what starts out as a little sweet-tooth ends up as a full on addiction. It is part of the reason the CDC estimates this country will have 140 million diabetics within 40 years, escalating the current $35 billion in profits from diabetes drugs to over $50 billion a year.

We should start to look at the lies our government agencies tell us about disease. For natural ways to cure diabetes, we can cut down on refined sugar consumption, for starters, and eat fig leaves, black seed, fenugreek and cinnamon instead. Experts agree, sugar is a health destroyer, so it’s time to omit it from your daily life.

Christina Sarich is a humanitarian and freelance writer helping you to Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and See the Big Picture. Her blog is Yoga for the New World. Her latest book is Pharma Sutra: Healing the Body And Mind Through the Art of Yoga.